First Christmas
by AmbrLupin
Summary: A blizzard has struck New York, leaving Slinks in Brooklyn and Ace in the Bronx. Will they get together in time to celebrate or will their first Christmas pass them by? Oneshot! OCOC.


First Christmas

By: Ambrlupin

Rating: G

Summary: A blizzard has struck New York, leaving Slinks in Brooklyn and Ace in the Bronx. Will they get together in time to celebrate or will their first Christmas pass them by? Oneshot! OC/OC.

Disclaimer: I don't own newsies, and I don't own Slinks either. I kinda borrowed her from a friend, without really asking. Ok, I asked beforehand, but she has no idea I wrote this story for her, so we'll see what she thinks wink

A/N: Christmas story. Nuff said.

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Humming to herself, Slinks sat at the window of the lodging house, her fingers tracing idle shapes on the frosted glass. She could barely see anything beyond the hazed window but white. A blizzard. On Christmas eve.

Sighing, she laid her chin on her drawn up knees, her breath smoking over in the air. There was a fire going on in the other room, as well as a party, but she would rather not be a part of the merriment at this point in time.

She couldn't believe this had happened. Her plans had been ruined, all on account of a surprise snow storm that had -literally- come out of nowhere. She was expecting him to pop out of the wood work, but that was literally impossible. She was in Brooklyn, he was in the Bronx.

"Waiting for Ace?" A voice asked calmly from behind her.

Without turning around, Slinks knew who it was. How could she not? "Shouldn't you be in there with your kids, Spot?"

"You're one of my kids." He pointed out, walking around and leaning on the wall next to her. His cap was folded up and tucked into his back pocket, cane -as always- by his side, next to his slingshot. "He isn't coming, Slinks. Let it go."

"You don't know that!" She snapped, regretting it the moment she did. You did not yell at Spot Conlon, no matter what. "..Im sorry, Spot...im just...he will come. I know it."

Spot raised an eyebrow and shrugged, "If he comes through this blizzard he's a bloody fool." He turned one sharp silver blue eye to the snowy window and tilted his head. "You want him to chance_ that_ just to come see you? Selfish, ainnit?"

A sharp red hue darkened her cheeks and she looked away. Mumbling something unflattering under her breath, she curled her arms around her torso a little tighter. Spot was hardly affected by the curse, only laughed and moved to go back into the other room.

"If he does show up," Spot paused at the threshold and turned his head to see her. "Make sure you get him out of his clothes. He'd die by mornin if ye didn't."

And he shut the door on a startled Slinks.

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"Hey, Spot..." Race, who had gotten stuck in Brooklyn because of the storm, looked up from the table and his poker hand, eyebrow raised. "Where ya goin?"

Spot pulled on one boot and then other, "Out."

The gambler actually laid his hand down, eye's wide. "Out? Are you _insane_?"

"Some people say that." Taking a hold of his coat where it laid over a chair, the leader of Brooklyn slid into it. "Relax, Race. Im just goin ovah to the Bronx."

"_THE BRONX_!"

"Yah, evah hoid of it?" He asked in a taunting voice, sliding his cap over his head. "Its this big borough-"

"I know what the Bronx is!" Race cut him off, mouth parted in shock. "But why? More importantly...WHY!"

Spot snorted and shrugged, "Thought I'd take a stroll. See ya in a bit." And he slid out the back door, snow blowing in behind him to slide across the floor, the chilling breeze blowing across Race's face, making him shiver.

"Idiot."

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It was 11:30.

And still no Ace.

Slinks sighed, clinging to a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Red had ventured from the other room upon discovering they were a newsie short, bringing with him a blanket, a hot mug of cocoa and some company.

She took all three.

The cocoa had long been gone, and Red had been called away to do something. Which left her, curled up in her blanket, staring out at the unrelenting snow, wishing it were different. It was Christmas, and even more so...it was their _first_ Christmas.

Her thoughts wandered to what lay upstairs, tucked underneath her mattress, clumsily wrapped. Ace's present, made by her own hands. She knew Ace had gotten her something expensive -had even told her it was priceless- so she had felt inadequate until she saw her finished project with her own two eyes.

Now she was afraid _Ace _wasn't going to be able to see it.

Burrowing her head in her arms, she didn't hear the door open, and didn't even know it had opened, until the cold air hit her and she raised her head to see Spot walk in, covered in snow, and shivering.

Eyes widening she slid from her seat, "Spot, boyo, what-"

Someone stepped in behind her leader, pulling his black cap off his head, snowflakes drifting to the ground. Sparkling blue eyes gazed at her from under black bangs, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Hello, dahlin." Ace smiled.

Slinks had to fight the urge to tackle him and instead put on a mothering look and grabbed both him and Spot, pulling them into the room and shutting the door. "What are you two doin? Get outta dose clothes! Honestly..."

Red came in through the door and sighed, "Cant go one Christmas without getting frostbite can you, kid?" He asked Spot fondly, walking over to the leader and pulling him away. "Let's get you upstairs and dried off."

Ace was working on pulling off his jacket, when Slinks -who was helping- saw Spot and Red heading for the stairs. "Spot? Boyo...um...thanks."

Spot just smirked. There was no thanks needed.

Ace laid his jacket down, turning to pull Slinks into his arms. "Merry Christmas, Slinks." He murmurred, giving her a light kiss.

A slight blush slid across her face as she kissed him back. "..Why did you come?" She asked quietly. "Boyo, its not like I don't...didn't want you to...its just..."

He shook his head, "I had to come, because I wanted to give you your present." He reached over and pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. Taking his jacket, he slid it around her and drew her toward the door. "However...Because of this storm you're not going to be able to see it."

"...See it?" She blinked as she was drug along. "What the..." Her tone changed, turned a little on the accusing side. "Ace, what did you do?"

"Such little faith in me." He mock sighed and took her out into the snow, holding her close to keep her a little warmer. "Like I said...you cant see it." He pointed off into the sky, "But I named a star after you. I just picked one...the most beautiful, bright star I could find."

Slinks just stared at him, eyes wide. "You...You're kiddin, right?"

Shaking his head, Ace reached into his pocket. "And to go with it..." He pulled out a small box and flicked it open, revealing a small star pendant on a chain. Taking it from the box, he slid it around her neck and clasped it. "There."

Looking down at the gold glinting up at her, Slinks felt tears in her eyes, but blinked them back. "Come with me." She grabbed his hand and jerked him back into the house, nearly taking him off his feet as she pulled him up the stairs and to her room.

Pulling the badly wrapped package out from her hiding spot, she held it behind her back, feeling more inadequate then ever. She would never be able to compare. "Uh...Boyo-"

Ace just reached around her, taking the package and sitting on the edge of the bed. Slinks bit her lip as he unwrapped it, revealing a soft auburn colored, bound book she had managed to find. Its pages were empty, but she had written in it, along with a few of their close friends.

Scattered through the pages were the pictures Denton had taken with his camera, the two of them happily smiling, soaked to the bone from a water fight. Ace's eyes were wide as he looked through the pages, and when he reached the last one, he shut the book and set it aside.

Silent.

"I knows its not..." She trailed off as he reached out and pulled her into a hug, "It's the best gift I've ever gotten, dahlin...Really." He laid a soft kiss on her forehead, brushing back a strand of her auburn hair.

"But...You were rich...you had all those great presents.." She was flustered, and trying to find a way to prove him wrong.

"They don't matter." Ace laid a finger over her lips to quiet her. "This does. Thank you, Slinks."

As red as her hair, Slinks tried to hide in his shoulder, using it also as an excuse to cuddle up with him. The Bronx leader drew her against him, curled into the side of his body, watching the snow fall out the window. Kissing the top of her head, he murmurred a soft, "Merry Christmas."

Even in a blizzard, and boroughs apart...They had managed to make this one Christmas to remember. Because, after all, it was their first.

With many more to come.

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So what did ya think? Drop me a review and tell me.


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